Bumper



\July 6, 1926. 1,591,530

F. D. HANSEN BUMPER Filed April 28, 1926 /l n 77? were-(071' Patented July 6, 1926.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK D. HANSEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO FEDERAL PRESSED STEEL COMPANY, 01 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

BUMPER.

Application filed April 28, 1926. Serial No. 105,071.

My invention relates to bumpers for vehicles and more particularly to that type having spring impact bars.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved form of spring impact ar formed of spring steel and constructed to enhance its artistic appearance and impart maximum stren h, while at the same time the bar creates t e impression of being of standard thickness and devoid of bulkiness. Further, my improved bar is cheap to manufacture, unusuallyattractive in appearance, and facilitates the formation of a nickle-plated stripe on the front face of the bar at lower cost. 4

More particularly, the impact bars of bumpers embodyin my invention are formed of rolled spring steel in such a manner asto provide a flat, wide rib of slight thickness extending the length of the bar, the longitudinal edge portions of the bar on either side of the rib being of the usual or standard thickness of spring bars ordinarily used in most spring bar bumpers now on the market.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved bracket for connecting the impact bars together at their centers.

Other and further objects and advantages of my improved bumper will become apparent from the followmg description, taken n conjunction with the accompanying'drawm s.

n the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bumper embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the central portion of the bumper with the middle of the supporting bar broken away, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through the bumper, as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The impact section of my improved umper comprises two parallel sprin bars 5, each of which is provided at its en s with integrally rolled eyes 6. A spring supporting bar 7 is bent, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided at its ends with integrally rolled eyes 8. In order to mount the impact bars 5 on the supporting bar 7, the e es 8 of the supportin bar are ositioned etween the eyes 6 of t e impact ars and bolts 9 are positioned through these coinciding eyes.

As shown in Figs. 1 and-3, a front face of each impact bar is provided with a slightly projecting rib 10 which is fiat and is of substantial width, while the edge portions on either side of the rib are of substantially standard thickness, that is to say, substantially the thickness of spring impact bars now in common use. The rear side of the bar is fiat, or plain, as it is not provided with any rib. The strips of steel from which my impact bars are made come in long lengths, the rib being formed throughout the length of strip when it is rolled. Then the impact bars of the proper length are cut from the long strips and formed with the rolled eyes as shown in Fig. 1.

The ribs greatly strengthen the bars and add to their resistance to shocks,while at the same time the edges of the bar are of the usual thickness so that the bars do not look bulky or poorly proportioned.

The faces of the ribs may also be very easily nickel-plated at small cost whilethe remaining surface of the bar may be enameled, or otherwise finished. This is done by first nickel-plating the entire bar, then pasting a strip of paper over the face of the rib and next spraying the whole bar with the enamel. The paper is subsequently removed, having served its purpose of protecting the face of the rib against the enamel, and the nickel-plate is finally polished. The rib being raised, the enamel does not run into the nickel-plated surface on the face of the rib. Any other way of nickel-plating therib would be quite costly and unsatisfactory as a clear line of demarcation between the enamel and nickel-plate would be difficult to maintain. It will also be observed that the bars are quite cheap to manufacture.

At the center of the impact bar, I provide a-vertical plate or bracket 13 having curved or hooked ends 14 fitting snugly over the reduced outer edge portions of the spring impact bars. Secured to or resting against the rear side of the bracket 13 is a block 15 and a screw 16 projects through openings in the block and bracket 13 and is screwthreaded into an opening in a disk 17,,the block 15 and the disk 17 being held in position by this screw. The rear side of the disk 17 engages against the ribs 10 and it is provided with a squared rearwardly-projecting portion 18 fitting snugly between the adjacent'or opposed edges of the impact bars. Thus the bracket 13 and portion 18 firmly connect the central portions of the impact bars together and prevent all undue relative 'play between them and hence all rattle. Any

desirable trade mark or other artistic design or insignia may be applied to the front face of the disk 17.

The block is provided with rearwardly extending flanges 19 between which is positioned a rubber block 20 having horizontal ribs 21 fitting in correspondingly shaped grooves formed in the base of the block 15. A thimble-shaped member 23 is held in position by the head of the screw 16 and is positioned in the central hole formed in the block 20. The member 23 is provided with a flange 24. which engages against an annular shoulder formed in the central opening of the rubber block to hold the latter firmly in place. As shown in Fig. 1, the center of the spring supporting bar 7 is arched forwardly and contacts (Fig. 3 side of the rubber block 20 to eliminate rattle and undue vibration and-at the same time strengthen the middle ofthe impact section.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of an impact bar formed of spring steel and having its rear side lain and its edge portions reduced in thic ness to rovide an inte ral rib of substantial widti on the front side of the bar and extending the length of Elie bar, and supporting means secured to hebar.

2. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of a relatively thin impact bar of considerable width vertically formed of spring steel and rolled to provide a slightlyrojecting flat. wide rib on only the front si e and extending the length of the bar, the edge portions of which on either side of the rib are with the rear thinner than the ribbed middle portion of the bar, and spring supporting means for the bar.

3. In a vehicle bumper,- the combination of two parallel impact bars each formed of spring steel and having its edge portion reduced in thickness to rovide a flat Wide rib only on the front si e of the bar and extending the length of the bar, the edge portions of which on either side of the rib are thinner than the middle ribbed portion of the bar, supporting means for the bars, and a central bracket having a body portion, engaging the rear sides of the impact bars, and hooked end portions engaging snugly over the reduced outer edge portions of the bars.

4. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of two paraliel impact bars each formed of spring steel and having its edge portions reduced in thickness to provide a slightly projecting fiat wide rib on only the front side of thebar and extending the length of the bar, the edge portions of which on either side of the rib are thinner than the middle ribbed portion of the bar, supporting means for the bars, a central bracket having a body portion, engaging the rear sides of the impact bars, and hooked end portions engaging snugly over the reduced outer edge portions of the bars, a device engaging the front sides of said bars and having a portion fittin between the adjacent edges of said bars, and means for connecting said device to said bracket.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

FREDERICK D. HANSEN.

till 

